1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to an electrophoretic display (EPD) device and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to an electrophoretic display device adapted to prevent sealant from moving onto a non-active area, as well as a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electrophoretic display (EPD) devices are reflection type display devices which can repeatedly write and erase images and letters using electrophoresis. In other words, the EPDs allow charged particles scattered in a fluid substance to move according to an applied electric field, in order to display images or letters.
EPDs can be manufactured to be light weight and thin as well as to normally maintain display properties in a bent-state like paper. In addition, EPDs provide superior visual-perceptibility and portability compared to paper. In view of these points, EPDs have been highlighted as medium for paper substitution showing a yearly increment, and furthermore have been actively developed as flexible display devices.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing an EPD according to the related art. Referring to FIG. 1A, a related art EPD includes a lower substrate 10 with a lower electrode (not shown), an upper substrate 12 with an upper electrode (not shown), and an electrophoretic film 14 interposed between the lower and upper substrates 10 and 12. The electrophoretic film 14 includes electrophoretic suspension particles driven by a vertical electric field induced between the lower and upper electrodes. The lower and upper substrates 10 and 12 may be a flexible plate type of base substrate.
The EPD further includes a sealant 16 interposed between the lower and upper substrates 10 and 12. The sealant 16 is formed to prevent moisture from intruding into the EPD. The sealant 16 is formed through a process of dispensing a fluid sealant on the lower substrate 10 using a dispenser 18 shown in FIG. 1B, and allowing the fluid sealant 16a to flow along a direction D1 by a tensile force between the electrophoretic film 14 and the upper substrate 12.
However, the fluid sealant 16a dispensed on the flexible lower substrate 10 can flow not only along the positive direction D1, but also along a negative direction D2. The fluid sealant 16a flowing along the negative direction D2 can reach a different area, such as a non-active area including a driver circuit loading region, beyond the sealant formation area. In this case, the fluid sealant 16a causes malfunction or breakdown for the driver circuit to be formed or installed on the driver circuit loading region.
To address the driver circuit malfunction or breakdown, a method of shifting the driver circuit toward the edge of the panel has been proposed. The shift of the driver circuit forces the panel to be enlarged. As the sealant is formed on an unnecessary area, the amount of the sealant also increases.